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Q & A: Swedish coach Lars Lagerback
Posted: Tuesday April 23, 2002 7:01 PM
What
do you think of the draw?
Very difficult. We must play Argentina and England, who must be
among the tournament favorites. And let's not forget Nigeria, who
have shown glimpses of their vast potential in previous tournaments.
It is a big challenge for Sweden. No complaints, though.
Who
are your key players?
All the players are important. If we want to succeed in our difficult
opening games, we will need all our players at their very best.
Besides, we base our game on collective teamwork, not on one or
two individuals.
Who
will win the World Cup?
France, the holders, should do well again. They have a very experienced
team who seem to be able to win even when they are not at their
best, which is a precious knack in a grueling competition. Perhaps
the strongest challenge could come from Argentina.
Who
will be the surprises?
Hard to say. The opening matches will set the tone for the tournament.
We will be much wiser after them. At the moment there are several
teams with the potential to spring a surprise. After all, not many
predicted that Croatia would finish third in 1998, or that Sweden
would win bronze in 1994.
Will
the conditions affect you?
No. We're not going out there expecting any problems or unpleasant
surprises.
Now
that England have a Swedish coach, do you and your co-coach, Tommy
Soderberg, see that as an extra problem when you meet them?
Not at all. We met England last autumn and it was just like any
other friendly international. Naturally enough, Sven Goran Eriksson
knows our style and players inside out. But then again, many Swedish
players are currently based in England and play regularly against
our future opponents.
How
do you rate Argentina?
As one of the best teams in the tournament. They mix South American
flair with discipline and good fighting spirit. We have met them
only once in the World Cup, in 1934, when we beat them 3-2. A repeat
of that would do nicely.
How
important is Henrik Larsson to the team's chances?
Henrik is one of Europe's best goalscorers, a Golden Shoe winner,
so naturally he is very important to us. But the most important
thing is the team and how we work together. It would be wrong to
burden Larsson with too high expectations. If he just plays his
normal game and the rest of the team pull their weight, we will
be more than satisfied.
What
do you expect from the referees?
Nothing special. We are sure that they will do a good job. Nobody
wants to see brutal fouls or flimsy play-acting.
Are
the expectations of the Swedish fans and media realistic?
To be honest, we are not quite sure what they expect. In 1994, a
real World Cup fever swept through Sweden. If we can get a couple
of good results early on, then who knows what will happen? But at
the moment, we don't feel any great pressure.
From World Soccer magazine.
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